[639] Tantus autor haberi postulas, quantus nec hodie quisquam sit. Cochlæus, p. 127. "You offer to publish a book in my praise.... I thank you!... You will praise me most by abusing me; you will dishonour me beyond measure if you praise me. I say with Seneca: _Tam turpe tibi sit laudari a turpibus, quam si lauderis ob turpia_."[640] [640] Let it be as disgraceful to you to be praised by the vile, as if you were praised for vile deeds. This letter, written by the _king of the English to the king of the heretics_,[641] was immediately circulated throughout England bound up with Luther's epistle. Henry, by publishing it, put his subjects on their guard against the _unfaithful_ translations of the New Testament, which were besides about to be burnt everywhere. "The grapes seem beautiful," he said, "but beware how you wet your lips with the wine made from them, for the adversary hath mingled poison with it." [641] Rex Anglorum Regi hæreticorum scribit. Strype, Mem. i. p. 91. The title of the pamphlet was _Litterarum quibus invictus Pr. Henricus VIII. etc. etc. respondit ad quandam Epistolam M. Lutheri ad se missam_. [Sidenote: LUTHER'S FIRMNESS.] Luther, agitated by this rude lesson, tried to excuse himself. "I said to myself, _There are twelve hours in the day_. Who knows? perhaps I may find one lucky hour to gain the King of England. I therefore laid my humble epistle at his feet; but alas! the swine have torn it. I am willing to be silent ... but as regards my doctrine, I cannot impose silence on it. It must cry aloud, it must bite. If any king imagines he can make me retract my faith, he is a dreamer. So long as one drop of blood remains in my body, I shall say no. Emperors, kings, the devil, and even the whole universe, cannot frighten me when faith is concerned. I claim to be proud, very proud, exceedingly proud. If my doctrine had no other enemies than the king of England, Duke George, the pope and their allies, all these soap-bubbles ... one little prayer would long ago have worsted them all. Where are Pilate, Herod, and Caiaphas now? Where are Nero, Domitian, and Maximilian? Where are Arius, Pelagius, and Manes?--Where are they?... Where all our scribes and all our tyrants will soon be.--But Christ? Christ is the same always. "For a thousand years the Holy Scriptures have not shone in the world with so much brightness as now.[642] I wait in peace for my last hour; I have done what I could. O princes, my hands are clean from your blood; it will fall on your own heads." [642] Als in tausend Jahren nicht gewesen ist. Luth. Opp. xix. p. 501. Bowing before the supreme royalty of Jesus Christ, Luther spoke thus boldly to King Henry, who contested the rights of the word of God.